Electric starting and lighting apparatus for automobiles



i w. B; MO SES. ELECTRIC STARTING ANDN GHTJNQAPPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES APPLICATION FILED. Am. 15, 1916.

1,380, 1 1 3. Patented May 31, 1921 3 SHEETSSHEET l.

ZL BL/VQ e/ W. B MOSES. ,ELECTRIC STARTING. AND LIGHTING-APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APR- l5| I916.

Patented May 31, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET W. B. MOSES.

ELECTRIC STARTING AND LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APR-1'51 l9l6.

Patented May 31, 192 1.

3 SHEET$SHEET 3.

UNITED WILLIAM B. MOSES, orBRooxLINE; MASSACHUSETTS. AssIeNon T enema: DAVIS, 1 mo, orcemnmnen, MASSAGHUSETES; a

ELECTRIC s'ranrmejnnn ,Lmn rme APIPARATUS n nu romonr ns.

T0 all whomii may concern: l Be it known that I, \VILLIAM B. MosES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brookline in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements-in Elec- .tric Starting and, Lighting Apparatus for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto electric starting and lighting apparatus for automobiles and with regard to certain more specific fea- 'tures thereofto the supporting means and devices for connecting the electrical unit or units witlrthe'engine.

One of theobjects of the invention' is to provide attaching devices-of a simple, durable and inexpensive nature whereby the electrical units may be secured to the automobile quickly and conveniently-and byrelatively unskilled workmen.

Another object. of the invention lies in the provision of devices whereby theelectrical units may be readily and accurately located with respect to each other and relatively to their supporting means, thereby permitting several independent organizations to be co operatively. associated with a minimum of adjustment) Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in various features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of partswhich will be exemplified by the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the applicationof which will ,be indicated by the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated one of various possible embodiments of the invention,

t Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the invention. I

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1.

Figs; 3, 4 and 5 are-respectively front, side. and top views of the main supporting bracket. i

Fig. is a front view ofthe auxiliary bracket. I

' Referring how mo e particularly to -the drawings wherein similar; reference characterrefer to; similar parts throughout tl1e sev. ral views,thereis ,dicate'd at 1 a portion, of ,he engincasing of -an automobile. The

, main bracket 6f the starting and lighting sys- =Specification of Letters Patent.

along the top for ,tem is designated are andis p rovided with a foot 3'l1aving bolt holes properly located Patented May 31,1921. Application,fi1ed4pzjil15, 1916. ,seria1n :91',3es." i

toaline with certain;standardltappedholes formed with a substantially fiat vertical plate orbocly tadaptedto extend alongthe with a ribbed or inturned portion 5 .aper tured at 6 to receive a bolt Twhereby the bracket may be'secured atits upper end to an ear extending from the Water pipe or to in the engine casing' flange. 'JThis bracket is side of theengine casing and is provided using throughout or asfar as possiblebolt holes already provided therein. The main bracket is also formed with .an inturn 9 purposes which will hereinafter appear; I

An auxiliary bracket 10 isformed with a substantially flatwall 11 and an inturned-side wall or rib -12,,these walls being adapted for juxtaposition with thecorrespondingly named; walls of the main bracket. Referring to Fig. titwill be notedthat the auxiliary bracket 10' is provided ,Wltlh four dowel holes 13,14, 15 and 16. Also atcor-near its upper portion it is provided -with"bolt; holes; 17 and 18 and nearthebottom with slots 19 and 20 for the accommodation of attaching boltsas will presently appear. .Depressions are formed in the bracket toreceliveheads 21 of the upper set of attaching bolts22. A. .slot 23 is provided in'the bracketlO extend- .ing horizontally and adapted to receive. the ends of two flexible metal straps, whichar'e riveted to said bracket and adapted. to be carried respectively around the separate electrical units and securedattheirouter ends by means of bolts passingv through the boltholes 24 and 25 formed the bracket. An ear 2G is struck upfrom thebracket and provided with an aperture 27 through" 'which extends an, adjusting ,bolt28. Lock nuts 29 are provided onthe shank of the bolt 28 on opposite sides of the ea-r26.

,gThis auxiliary bracket is adjustably securedto t-he main bracket by means of an upper pair ofbolts 22 and a lower, pair of bolts 30. The shanks of the bolts 22ers disposed in bolt holes 17 and 18 in the auxiliary bracket and vertical slots 31"in the main bracket ,.while the shanks ofthe apparatus the auxiliary bracket 10, is atbolts are disposed in the vertical slots 19 and 20 in the auxiliarybracket and in bolt holes 32in the main bracket. Relative adjustment of the two brackets .is obtained by loosening the four bolts mentioned and screwing the adjusting bolt 28 in or out as desired. The necessary manipulation of the lock members 29 will be obvious.

The electrical units are indicated at 33 and 34, the former being the starting motor and the latter the generator. Both of these units .are provided with dowels which fit precisely in the dowel holes 13, 14,'and 15, 16,

thereby providing for-definite and correct and-also with a small sprocket 36 similarly mounted. A silent chain 37 connects the small sprocket 36 with a sprocket 38 fixed on a crank shaft 39 of the engine. Having into their proper apertures in the auxiliary introduced the dowels of the'generator unit bracket, flexible stra1p40, heretofore mentioned, is brought around the unit and secured by,;means of bolt 41and a nut 42 to the auxiliaryb'racketj A lug 43 is riveted on to the free end of the strap 40 for; strengthening purposes.

Similarly the motor unit 33 is fitted by its dowels to the auxiliary bracket and a flexiible'strap 44,-identicalipvith the strap 40 is carried aroundthe unit to secure the latter in located position. The motor unit is provided with an armature shaft extension 45 which is threaded for a portion as indicated at 46 to automatically move the pinion 47 longitudinally into and out-of engagement with the gear 35 of the generator.

A pulley 48 is mounted on the crank shaft 39 and connects by means of a belt 49 witha fanpulley 50, the fan being indicated at 51. Anelectro-magnetic regulating device forgoverning the generator output is shown at 52 as mounted upon the motor unit. It will be obvious that if it is desired to remove the motor unit, as for purposes of repair, this regulating device may be temporarily mounted in the same relative position upon the generator unit. If it is desired only to install the generator part of the system the same brackets may be used, the regulator m avfibe mounted as stated upon the generator Amie flexible strap 44 may have thelug of its free end screwed uptightly against the auxiliary bracket and the motor unit with its threaded shaft extension and pinion may be omitted.

In assembling and installing the present tached to the main bracket 2 by means of bolts 22, 22, and 30, 30. Certain of the screw bolts of the engine are then removed and the main bracket fitted in place. The

same bolts or some slightly longer may be used to secure the parts in their located po sitions. The electrical units are then located in position by introducing-the dowels into the proper dowel holes of the auxiliary bracket and the'fiexible straps are brought around each unit respectively and tautened tosecure the units in theirlocated positions. The generator unit carries the gear35 and sprocket 36 as heretofore stated. The sprocket 38 and fan drive pulley 48 are mounted on the crank shaft of the engine'or an extension thereof and these parts may be integral or separate as desired. The sprocket chain completes the transmission between the generator unit and the crank shaft. matically located so that its armature shaft is correctly spaced from the armature shaft of the generator in order that the pinion 47 may travel into and out of mesh with the gear wheel 35. It will be obvious that all that remains to' be done in the way of adjustment is to vary the relative positions of the two brackets in order to correctly space the generator armature shaft from the crank shaft. This is accomplished a by slightly loosening the bolts 22, 22, and 30',

'30, and manipulating the adjusting screw The motor unit is, of course, autotor unit moves the pinion 47 longitudinally into mesh with the gear 35 and against a stop 45. Continued movement of the motor armature shaft rotates the gear 35, the generator armature shaft and sprocket 36, which movement is imparted to the crank shaft through the chain 37 and sprocket'38 The engine is thereby given its initial starting or cranking movement and will commence'to operate under its own fuel. condition the speed of the-gear 35 is considerably increased over that which was imparted to it by the motor. This causes the pinion 47 to be urged longitudinally in an outward direction by the threaded portion 46 of the motor armature shaft extension until it is oompletel out. of engagement with thegear 35. M eians are provided for. maintaining the pinion 47 inthis outward position even althougli'the starting switch is left closed, but the same form'no part of the present invention and will not be particularlydescribed. It is intended that at this point in the operation or prior thereto the operator should open the starting switch and 1t-w1ll be seen that the motor unit is By the latter thereby eliminated from any part in the operation' of the system. The engine will at this time drive back through the shaft 39 and the chain and sprocket connection to the generator armature shaft which continues to rotate and generate current to'recharge the storage battery and furnish electrical energy to various transmitting devices in the system. Fan 51 is driven directly from the crank shaft and should it be desired to remove either the generator unit or themetor unit and their related transmission devices such removalwill not affect the usual operation of the fan. 1

. As many changes could be made in the above construction and as alny apparently Widely different embodime ts of the invention might be made without departing from the scope thereof it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoingdescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described the invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In engine starting and generating apparatus, in combination, a main bracket attached to an engine, an auxiliary bracket adjustably attached to said main bracket, a pair of separately detachable electric units thereon, a gear on one of said units adapted to engage and disengage a gear on the other of said units, and means automaticallyoperative to cause relative shift of said gears into and out of said engagement.

:2. In engine starting and generating apparatus, in combination, a main bracket attached to an engine, an auxiliary bracket adjustably attached to said main bracket, a pair of separately detachable units com prising a'motor having an extended armature shaft with a pinion longitudinally shiftable thereon and a generator having an extended armature shaft with a gear fixed thereon, and means automatically operative whereby said pinion is caused to engage and disengage said gear.

3. In engine starting and generating apparatus, in combination, a main bracket attached to an engine, an auxiliary bracket attached thereto and slidablyadjustable thereon, a pair of separately detachable electric units attached to said auxiliary bracket, and a longitudinally shiftable gear ,on one of said units adapted to engage and disengage a gear on the other of said units.

4. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, an engine, a main bracket -attached to said engine, an auxiliary bracket detachably attached to said main bracket, an electric -Inotor and a generator mounted thereon in juxtaposition and separately detachable therefrom, a gear on the motor armature, a gear on the generator armature and means for shifting said gears into and out of mesh automatically.

5. In engine starting and generating apparatus, in combination, a main bracket attachedto an engine, an auxiliary bracket ad justably attached to said main bracket, a pair of electric units adjacently mounted thereon, gearing-Von said units comprising an axially shiftable gear on one unit and a gear on the other unit,'said gears being normally disengaged, and means automatically operative upon energization of oneunit to axially shift the first said gear to establish a driving connection between the units.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with an engine, of a pair of separately detachable electric units, a bracket adjustably mounted on the engine comprising means adapted to definitely locate said units relatively to each other and to said bracket, and means for securing the units in located positions.

7 In engine starting and generatingap paratus, a b ac'ket attachable in adjustably fixed relation to an engine, a pair of separately detachable electric units attached thereto, the attaching means comprising lo- (rating means for definitely fixing the rela tive positions of the units and a flexible strap for securing a unit' in fixed position,

and a longitudinally shiftable gear on one i of said units adapted to move into and out of mesh with a gear on the armature shaft of the other unit.

8. I11 engine starting and generating apparatus, in combination, a main bracket attachable to an engine, an auxiliary bracket, means to secure said auxiliary bracket to said main bracket at different positions transversely of a-driven part of the engine, a motor unit mounted on said auxiliary bracket, said motor unit having a pinion longitudinally shiftable thereon and rotatable therewith, a generator unitrseparately mounted on said auxiliary bracket and having a gear with Which said pinion is adapted to mesh whereby the motor may drive said gear, and .a chain and sprocket drive between the generator and engine driven part whereby the drive from the motor i's'imparted to said engine driven part.

Signed at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, this eleventh day of April, A. D. 1916. 

